Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs

​Melissa Ward is the Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs for Functional Pathways providing program development expertise and oversight of physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. Due to a special interest in working with residents living with dementia and their care partners, in May 2016, Melissa successfully completed the Teepa Snow Positive Approach to Care (PAC) trainer certification course. As a member of the IMPACT Act work group and Medical Services committee of the National Association in Support of Long Term Care (NASL), she has been instrumental in assisting Functional Pathways with the development of best practices for effective and efficient care delivery while helping clients navigate alternative payment initiatives. Her in-depth knowledge of therapy service delivery has been instrumental in guiding teams to maximize functional outcomes while fostering an environment of person-centered care.

Prior to joining Functional Pathways, Melissa worked as a Clinical Coordinator helping to ensure company wide clinical documentation compliance and excellence in therapy service delivery for a multi-state contract rehab provider. She has also successfully held the position of Area Manager directly overseeing the daily operations for up to 12 facilities specializing in post-acute care.

In addition to her work with clients and rehab teams, Melissa has presented at various state and national conferences on topics such as evidence-based fall prevention, marketing, and alternative payment model care redesign. She received her Master’s of Science in Rehabilitation Physical Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and completed her undergraduate education in Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.